Egyptian soldiers
Egyptian soldiersIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Egypt freed Israeli biker Sagi Shechori Tuesday night, four days after he mistakenly crossed into Egypt and was arrested by suspicious Egyptian police who discovered he was armed. He was not harmed during his ordeal.

The 36-year-old husband and father lives in Kadesh Barnea, near the international border, where this winter’s flashfloods washed out many of the markers delineating boundaries.

After police spotted him, they chased after Shechori and arrested him. His being armed delayed efforts by President Shimon Peres, Israeli diplomats and the IDF to free him earlier. Shechori said he was glad to return home and stated, “I want to thank all the people who helped me.”

The same border, which is not fenced, is often used by Africans to infiltrate to Israel after crossing the Sinai Peninsula. Egyptian police frequently shoot and kill the migrants.

Last month, Egyptian authorities arrested and then freed an Israeli journalist who was caught in the area while trying to follow movements of African migrants.